Scent of Kinship
by Issue No 2708786
Summary: Garp in starting to feel old
1. Along In Years

The old marine hero named Monkey D Garp glared hard at a younger marine as he marched passed him in the long narrow corridor; the young man froze as fear rushed throughout his body, he pushed himself against the wall as the large man huffed on by.

Garp continued to walked down the corridor, eyeing up any who he came across. He glared at the youth and stared strangely at those who were old.

He saw an much older marine walking his way and moved to one side, allowing the older to pass; he got in return a grateful nod to the head; Garp carefully studied the older marine who walked on with pride even in grey headedness.

Dark eyes lowed, Garp did not want to get old. He always thought himself as strong and young forever. The very thought of him reaching the age he was now, never came to him in his youth.

Garp hated every sort of reminder of it. People started moving and offering their seat to him, treating a little differently when talking. And the proof was also in his own reflection, the grey hairs that started to show.

It was after Roger's death that they first appeared. And the Hero got a whole newspaper written about him in his honour.

Complete with his age.

'Am I really that old?' He thought to himself as he walked on, a little slower than before, 'For the people to behaver this way towards me, or is it just because I am a hero?'

Even if he was getting old on the outside, Garp felt the man he was within was still the same man he knew from his younger days. Nothing had changed.

Garp blinked as he saw that he was standing outside the room he wanted to go. He glared at the door, another reminder.

The screams and cries inside were horrible.

He visible gritted his teeth as he reached down for the handle of the sliding door, paused for a moment as the tips of his fingers touched the cold metal; he grabbed hold and opened it fast, wanting to get this over with.

The screaming and crying was worst inside, and it seemed to be getting louder.

Garp stalked into the room, carefully looked to the right and then left as he went. His eyes narrowed towards a cot that was to the left of the room. Making his way over to the cot, this was indeed where the monstrous screams were coming from.

As he neared he closed his eyes firmly shut, turned his head away. Then standing before the cot he faced it and lowed his head downwards; he peeked one eye open first, and painfully slow he gazed down, opening the another eye as he did.

The screams stopped as Garp's eyes met with the child's.

Garp blinked and tilted his head to the side. The child blinked and tilted his head in the side in the same manner, the old man could see dried and still wet tears on his cheeks.

'How much and how long had he been crying for?' Garp asked himself as he stared at the young boy.

Garp continued to blink as he reached down and took hold of the child under the armpits and raised him into the air, and placed him at his side. The child right away latched on by wrapping his legs around the man's waist.

Garp kept his face blank as he turned to the doctor and high official in the room.

The pair glanced at each other without a word. They knew everything, who's child that was, the who's child was Garp's now.

The child giggled happily now and slammed his face into Garp's neck.

"Papa!" He said as he rubbed his face against there. "Papa!"

Garp's heart soften, his wife always told him that Dragon was the image of him, the child saw something in the old man and could see his father there.

"Not Papa," Garp said gently as he bought a hand up and placed on the child's shoulder moving him away carefully so that he was speaking to his face and not the side of his head. "I am your Papa's Papa. Meaning I am your Grandpa!"

"Grandpa?" The child asked as he leaned closer, taking in the sight of the man both with his eyes and his small hands. "Where Papa, Grandpa?"

"Papa will not be back for a long long time." Garp said hardening his heart waiting for the tears to come, when they did not come, and only was met with stares he went on to say, "But Grandpa is going to act as Papa until he comes back!" He finished with a bright grin, causing the child also to grin.

"Grandpa!" The child laughed out as he wrapped his tiny arms around Garp's neck, surprising the man with his strength. Garp grinned more and he held the child's back pulling him closer. This boy _was _his grandson.

"So you going to give me your name?" Garp asked remembered the brief when he found out, the child would not give them his name, nor would he talk, only scream and cry...and spat, according to one report.

"I'm Luffy!" Luffy said proudly as he leaned back and stared at the man, grinning madly. "And I am three and a bit!"

Garp smiled brightly and could not help but cast his eyes to one of the man in the room, who gasped out when Luffy easily gave Garp his name.

For the first time since people started acting differently around him, Garp did not mind getting along in years. Since he came with a cute little grandson, who was the image of his own.

Saddest reached the man's eyes and he hugged the boy, remembering his own cute little son. He had taken six years off work so he could teach him everything about the world and the people a their world, along side his wife. He bought a ship and sailed the Seas. This did not turn out well for him, his son, while having his good looks, had his mother's brain.

Dragon saw the world and its people, but did not like it. It made he worst when the marines kept bombarding Garp every few months, the child watched. And when Dragon was ten his mother died, he told Garp with tears and shouts, that it was not the pirates that killed his mother, but the World Government.

Garp glanced down at Luffy, wondering if it would best to leave him with someone else.

'No." Garp told himself as he turned to the high official standing there, 'I'll raise him until his about six.' Garp nodded his head at his chain of thought and walked towards the man.

"I am requesting a leave of absence." Garp told them firmly, making the other man sigh, almost like he knew this was going to happen.

Luffy looked to the man and then to his Grandpa, before turning back to the man and rested his head on the Garp's shoulder. Luffy closed his eyes and gave in to the tiredness that had been there for ages, the man had the same scent as his Papa.


	2. Adventure?

Garp slammed his fisted against the large double doors, then stood back and waited to be called in. A frown was deep on his face, he was not happy with Sengoku; the man should have known about his request of leave.

The room opened and Garp marched in with gritted teeth and he made his way right over the room and stood before the desk where the other man sat gazing down at paperwork.

"Garp." Sengoku said as he turned his gaze up and stared at the marine hero, "I need you to do one think before you leave."

"I refuse." Garp replied bluntly as he relaxed his shoulders, and stared at the man daring him to say any more.

"You must, Garp." Sengoku said forcefully as he glared hard, "And you mus go at once, we are having trouble with Roger's old crew. They running riot without let up, also building their own pirate crews which are causing more headaches!"

Sengoku eyed the hero up, he was holding his jacket on the right size and kept pulling it out slightly looking inside. 'Garp if you starting eating, I swear I throw my paperweight at your head.' He placed the palms of his hands on the desk's surface and pushed himself and walked around.

"I'm sure you can handle those pipsqueaks!" Garp said with a bit of a laugh, as he glanced inside his jacket and grinning madly at whatever was there. "Send some of those stupid newcomers, that will teach them a lesson their never forget!"

"Garp..." Sengoku said with a sigh, he knew full well that was stupid, "No, I think you would do something like that..." He said aloud to himself as her stood in front of the man, "Garp whatever it is that stopping you, just take it with you. I'm sure you be able to protect it!"

"AH!" Garp shouted suddenly in Sengoku's face, "Take. With. ME. That a brilliant idea! My didn't I think of that! Of course, you will have to sign that it is okay for me to take a non marine onto a battle field."

"Non marines...?" Sengoku mumbled as he reached for the permission slips and began writing, wondering what the hell Garp had drag back with him this time. 'As long as it's not another...'pet'...' He thought as he remembered Garp's bad habit of liking strange and unusually animal and asking it to join the marines. "Here. Now get going!" He handed over the slip and the orders.

Garp grinned as he gazed down at the slip paper, and slowly turned to Sengoku staring at him very pleased. Sengoku began to get uncomfortable, feeling regret over the fact that he never asked what the thing was that he was taking.

"Garp..." Sengoku said quietly feeling like he done something that he could not take back, and it was true, was permission slips were signed and handed over everything could take place. "What were you taking time off for, and please tell me it's those stupid little projects of yours."

Garp carefully placed the slip into his top pocket over his chest and patted it there, watching as the other man kept shifting his eyes to his face and to his pocket. The orders he shoved into one of his deep pocket on the side of the jacket.

"Sengoku," Garp said as he grabbed hold of his jacket opening again, "Don't worry so much!" He grinned as he tighten his fist over his jacket, "I can handle this just fine!" He took a step backwards, making Sengoku more worried.

Sengoku eyebrows raised slightly as he noticed something black and bushy under Garp's fist, he leaned forwards in hopes of having a better look but stopped when he saw two tiny hands holding on the jacket's zip, causing his heart to miss a beat. The black mass moved again and two blank dark little eyes stared at him, then came the rest; a familiar grin appeared on the small face.

"GARP!" Sengoku screamed as he rushed forwards, the child's head disappeared back into the jacket and Garp spun around and made a run for it. "GARP! WAIT!"

Garp was already running and laughing loudly down the hallway, he could here the giggles from his grandson who was curled into his inside pocket; feeling he was a good way away from Sengoku he glanced over and his grin widen when he saw the other had not chased him.

"Oi Luffy," Garp said as he bent his head down, "Want to see Grandpa working?"

"Sure!" Luffy answered as he stood in the pocket and glanced out again, "As long as we can play!"

"Yeah, we'll play until we fall asleep!" Garp said as he began making his way to the docks, where his ship and normal crew were waiting. He reached down and pulled out the orders, reading through them. "Looks like we are going to the North Blue! Luffy there a adventure await us!"

"Adventure?" Luffy asked as he reached up and grabbed his grandfather's neck, the old man brought his arm up and supported him, "What a adventure?" The only thing Luffy knew from his father was survival.

"What you don't know adventure!?" Garp asked as he spotted his ship, the figurehead was a dog with a bone in it's mouth, "Well I can't explain it, but I can show it! When you feel your heart pumping you know you're excited about it!"

"Excited? About adventure?" Luffy asked with his tiny face in Garp's large one, trying to see him.

"Yes, I'll let you know when it's started!" Garp shouted loudly as he laughed, but stopped when he saw a tall man stood with his arms crossed standing beside the plank that lean up to his ship, the man's face was not seen because he had a hat on and he was facing the ground, "Ah...what do you want? You should be on board by now."

"I was inform that you may be bringing something aboard that you should not," The man said eyeing up the child clinging to Garp's neck, from under his hat. "Please leave the child behind."

"What are you talking about," Garp said boldly as he reached for his top pocket, and showed the man the slip, "Luffy can come!"

"This looks..." The man stared at it for a moment and looked down, "Everything seems to be in order. Shall we be off then." The man turned and with his hands in his pockets, walked quickly up the wooden plank between the dock and the ship.

"Here we go Luffy!" Garp declared with his free arm raised into the air, "What kind of adventure awaits us?!" Garp laughed all the way to the ship, causing little Luffy also to laugh along with him.

The marines that were on Garp's ship and under his command, had seen a lot of things while working there. But a child that clearly looked like him, hugging and laughing with him in the same manner; this was something they never even thought about seeing.


	3. Rich?

Cornful Island is a large island in North Blue waters, known to be one of the richest island in this sea. The place was know for both it's sugar cane fields and honeybees which made lovely honey.

Rea Town was the richest town on the island, almost on every street there were sweet shops. Walking down the high street a old man and a young child walked hand in hand, the small boy gripped the man's much larger hand while smiling all around him. He had never been to this place before, there was so much to see but his grandfather was moving to fast to see everything.

The man at last came a stop and let go of the child's hand, he walked over to a shop's door and turned to his grandson.

"Luffy, wait here." Garp told as he bent over slightly, "I won't be long." With that he stood and turning he pushed against the door opening it, then he walked through.

Luffy heard giggling. Blinking he glanced over and saw two boys round about his age; they was dressed very neatly in suits, one's colour was navy while the other's was a dark green, both had red bow ties and their brown hair was combed tighten to their skull.

When they noticed he was staring they smirked.

Luffy gazed down at his own clothes, he was wearing a simply yellow vest and blue shorts and sandals. His knees, hand and elbow was caked in mud, which also covered in mud and grass strains.

"What someone like him doing here?" The boy in the navy suit said as he neared, "Only the rich come here!"

"Maybe he is lost?" The boy dressed in green replied, as he glanced Luffy up and down. "Poor boy properly does not know where he is!"

Suddenly the shop's door flew open and a neatly dressed man in a black suit came out fuming.

"Come on! We're leaving." The man told the two boys as he started to walk down the street.

"But father you said we could have some sweets here!" The navy boy said refusing to move, he crossed his arms and glared at the man.

"We can't!" The man hissed as he leaned downwards to boys, "The fine sweets have all been brought!"

"Luffy!" Garp called as he popped his head out of the shop's door, "Come on boy, we have ourselves a sweet party!" Luffy grinned not really knowing what sweets were but ran forward and went through the door.


	4. Learning

Garp frowned deeply as he looked out from his bed covers, his grandson continued to stared at him. He closed his eyes shut and tucked his head back under, trying to fall back to sleep. Movement was heard and he lifted his head up and peeked out, Luffy had gone out of sight.

Garp let out a sigh and closing his eyes again he rolled over to his other side, then he frowned. He was not sure what caused to frown, slowly he opened his eyes. Luffy laid beside him on his side grinning madly at his grandfather.

"Fine!" Garp roared as he threw the covers off of himself and kicked the remaining at his legs. Swinging his legs around he placed them to the cold floor and got up.

Luffy bounced up and ran over the bed, jumping to the floor. He ran ahead of the old man and waited at the door while jogging on the spot.

As Garp reached the door he bent down and grabbed the young child under his armpit, and lifted to his hip, causing the boy to giggle as he wrapped his legs of the man's middle. Garp opened the door, and leaned his upper body forward, not willing to leave the room until he was use the corridor was clear.

"First lesson." Garp said softy and quietly, as he peered down the darken corridor, "Make sure you leave your bedroom between the hours one and three; it at these times that everyone is fast asleep and the ones on the watch are at their most valuable."

Luffy nodded at his place, he copied his grandfather's head movement.

"Always be aware," Garp went on the say as he step out into the corridor, "Just who is on the watch. And know your crew. Some are more alert than others, while others are yellow bellies that sound the alarm at the slightly noise."

Garp slowly and walked down the corridor, keeping very close to the walls. He kept peered over his shoulder as he moved. Coming to the t-junction in the corridor and paused and listened.

"Always know your crews style on how they keep on the keep," Garp said keeping his voice low, his grandson hugged onto him as he grinned, "Everyone has their own way on doing things. Some walk faster than others, making their rounds slightly different."

Footsteps were heard, they echoed and Luffy buried his face into his grandfather's neck. He tried hard not to giggle, even Garp was laughing lightly under his breathe. Soon the tapping against the floor tiles were gone, and Garp moved quickly forwards his bare feet hardly made a sound against it.

Luffy lifted his head and watched as the corridor ended and they came near a lobby like area.

"Know your ship." Garp said as he moved into the open space, he pointed to a door alone the wall, "You know that it would be quicker to go across here, yet that would be an wrong move. We'll go the longer way around, it was take a little more effort but will worth in the end."

Garp gazed slowly around, Luffy watched with great interest then did the same. Garp came completely out of the corridor and put his back against the wall, and slid taking side ward steps. When he reached the corner of the room he walked forwards, eyes on the door he wanted to go through, he glanced around now and again until he reached there.

Garp grabbed the handle and turned carefully, he turned backwards and stared around; slowly he walked into the room backward fully aware that no one would be the other side. On entering he closed the door just as carefully as he opened it.

"Remember I told you to know your ship." Garp said as he nodded down the long meeting room, another exit was at the far end. "This is where it comes in handy, their doing their rounds outside the corridors now. And no doubt are going into where we came from. Meaning that there is no one up that end now."

Garp took off in a light run, grinning wildly as he went along. He glanced down at Luffy who was also grinning. They came to the end door, but instead of rushing through Garp become carefully once more.

"Even if you think you know everything," Garp said with a low voice as he placed an ear to the door, the same side he held Luffy so the child could do the this as well, "Just in case, still tread silently." Luffy nodded as he listened, hearing nothing he gazed up at his grandfather who's grin widen. "Safe."

Garp slowly opened the door, but did not do so fully. He peered out the small opening and blinked down the new corridor. Seeing and hearing nothing, he pulled at it some more. He stuck his head out much as he done in his bedroom and peered left and right. No one in sight!

Garp came out and closed the door right up and once more stayed near the walls as he walked carefully down the corridor. Luffy heard his heart going wild, he wanted to clap his hands to express his excitement but remembered what his grandfather had told him, he must keep silent.

They turned a corner and there their goal was before them. Garp glanced up and down the corridor, taking sure there was no one there still. It seemed painfully slow walking down that last stretch, knowing it was right there but also knowing that if he ran his footsteps would carry.

Soon he reached the double doors, and leaning against them he walked in backwards. He had to hold them before them held in of themselves as these doors were swinging one that had no handles. Slowly he held the door until it was almost touching the other, then let go.

Garp spun round and ran, heading for the other end of the large room; passed the rows of tables and chairs, passed the trays and trolleys. There was nothing between them and their ultimate goal.

They came to be in front of the last door in their quest.

"Luffy here we are," Garp said as he came forward and grabbed the handle, he twisted it but it refused to open. Luffy pouted and glanced to his grandfather in question. "Well they seem to be ahead of us. But no worries. Remember I say know your crew, they think I would think that they would they the key with them." Garp grinned and allowed a laugh to escape his lips, "But I know them well..." Garp walked over to the right, where a tray of knifes and forks were arrayed along the wall on a table. He reached into the sliver knifes and put out a silver key.

Garp turned and hurried to the door, he grinned as he put the key into the keyhole and heard the click as the key went around. He pushed it open and walked inside, and letting his grandson down.

Luffy ran further into the room and came to a stop outside some white boxes. He turned and clapped his hands while laughing, he waited for his grandfather to come to him. The old man reach for the boxes and took down the first one, he fell to his rear and crossed his legs placing the box in front of himself. Luffy hopped onto his grandfather's lap and watched the large hands lifted the lid off.

Ready made meals there their prize, which the chefs made for their trip to the mountains for the morning since they would be all leaving early morning and would not have time to make so many breakfasts.

"Luffy," Garp said as he took the lunch box out and opening it he handed it to his grandson, "This is the most important. Take enough to keep your hunger at bay, but not enough so they know we been here. Make sure you have mock trips and get caught, so that they believe that their ways of keeping you out are working. Understand Luffy? Be smarter than other people, just don't tell them so."

"Yes Grandpa!" Luffy said as he began to eat.

Garp watched with a smile, then he reached for a box and on opening it, started to eat as well.


End file.
